Her Savior
by merdarkandtwisty
Summary: The shooting caused April to look at Jackson in a way she never would have before. he was always saving her but maybe she could save him too this time. Au after the season six final.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Grey's anatomy.

Reed was dead, Charles was dead and she felt numb. April huddled against the building. The gun man had went down. Derek Shepard was in recovery and her heart rate should have went back to normal but she still felt like she couldn't breathe. Her eyes frantically scanned the area for Jackson. He was fine she knew he was fine but at the same time she needed to see him for herself.

"April" Her head turned at his voice.

"Jackson." She sagged against the wall he raced forward catching her before she fell to the ground

"April are you ok are you hurt?"

"I'm… I'm fine." She was shaking tears were gathering in the corner of her eyes and she was trying to be strong but she just couldn't. "Their….. their dead."

"I know." He held her close to him and let her cry. "Come on let's get you out of here." He lead her away from the pain and the confusion that surrounded the hospital.

"April.. April. Kepner stop." April turned around to see Christina standing behind her.

"Yes." She sighed she wanted to leave and she wasn't sure at this moment if she ever wanted to come back.

"I need to talk to you, privately." She looked at Jackson.

"I'll be right over there." Jackson nodded towards the edge of the building.

"What can I do for you Doctor Yang?' April held her hands in front of her clasped trying to stop the shaking.

"Meredith just don't say anything ok she doesn't want anyone to know."

"Of course not." April shook her head and her eyes cut to Jackson.

"Ok good I have to get back to her. "You did well today Kepner."

On shaky legs April walked to where Jackson waited. "What did she want?"

"Nothing are you ready to go ho..me." her words got stuck on the last word. Home were was home she didn't want to go back to the apartment she shared with reed and looking at Jackson she could see he didn't want to go back to the apartment he'd shared with Percy. Her eyes swung back towards the hospital she didn't want to walk back towards that place.

"Kepner, Avery." There attention was divereted to Callie.

"Callie." April had at some point grabbed Jackson's hand and was squeezing it for dear life.

"Go get some sleep you two." Callie pressed a key into her hand. "My apartment is right across the street."

"Thank you." April whispered. She looked across the street and then at Jackson. "It's our only choice for now."

"I know." He sighed "I have to call my mother and you should call yours."

"Right we actually have lives outside of this mess." She shook her head. "That's hard to believe." Jackson steadied her all the way across the road and opened the door for her making sure she was sitting on the couch before he pulled out his phone to call his own mother.

"Call your parents April this would have made national news I'm surprised they haven't called yet. I'm surprised my own mother hasn't called yet." Jackson looked down at his phone. "Shit somehow it got shut off." Turning his phone on it started to blare as April tried to figure out where her phone was.

"Jackson I can't find my phone." Jackson was about to press the answer button on his own phone before he turned to April.

"I'll deal with my mom and then you can use mine."

"Thanks." April whispered frantically wondering where her phone could be and as she did the bile raised in her throat. She could almost picture it laying in a pool of Reed's blood. She hadn't had it when she'd changed out of her scrubs so she must have lost it when she tripped over Reed.

Jackson was pacing the living room. "Yes mom I'm ok I'm not hurt just shook up.

Catherine Avery was frantic she'd switched on her tv and there it had been blaring news reports Seattle Grace Mercy West under fire and Jackson hadn't answered his phone not once she'd left dozens of messages and called every five minutes she was about to pull her hair out when he finally did answer. Too hear her sons voice make her cry for joy but she tried to stay composed.

"Who died?"

"Mom I really don't want to talk about it but I'm fine. April lost her phone she needs to call her own parents."

"Of course, of course." Catherine thought of a set of parents themselves worried over their child's safety. "I love you Jackson." It felt so good to Catherine to say those words after she worried she'd never be able to say them again.

"I love you too ma." And with that the phone went dead but she could breathe Easy because her baby had made it out of the building and she'd mourn for those who didn't.

Jackson sat down next to April she looked so fragil and pale. "April you need to call your parents." He handed her the phone as she shook her head.

"Right ok." She wanted to tell him that all she could see was that pool of blood and Reeds vacant face but the words wouldn't form. With Shaking Fingers she diled a number she knew by heart the number home.

Karen Kepner jumped for the phone the minuet it rang praying with everything in her that it was her baby girl. She'd been frantically calling since the minuet the news had broken only getting April's voice mail. "Hello." She held her breathe on a prayer.

"Mom." She closed her eyes and gave a shaky sigh of relief. Tears running down her face.

"April oh thank god. Are you ok baby?"

"I'm fine I can't really talk about it now. I don't want to talk about it but I'm fine I'll call you when I'm more composed."

"Ok Sweetie I'm just glad you're ok." Karen wasn't going to fight her daughter on this she could hear as April almost broke just telling her that tiny amount of information. Hanging up the phone she turned to her husband. "She's fine." Joe fell to his knees and thanked god for sparing the life of his middle child.

April hung up the phone and handed it back to Jackson. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jackson laid down on the couch and pulled April to him. "We should sleep just sleep." His eyes fluttered closed before he could even say another word. April watched him sleep and she thought of all they'd went through Reed and Percy were dead and Jackson was alive but what did that mean why were they spared?" Thoughts whirled through her head as she finally drifted off to sleep out of pure exhaustion.

A/N so this of course starts right after season 6 shooting yes everyone got close on the show but I think Jackson and April would have gotten closer at that moment so this is where my story will diverge from cannon. Something will still be in cannon but not all It's a what if they realized there feelings during season 7 story. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Grey's anatomy.

"Why are Avery and Kepner asleep on your couch?" Arizona asked walking behind Callie into the apartment.

"They looked so lost and alone yesterday you know they lived with Reed and Percy right I mean really no one could expect them to go back to that."

"No your right." Arizona sighed.

"Lets go to bed." Callie wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and they slowly made their way to their own bed.

Owen stumbled in half an hour later a sleeping Cristina in his arms. He walked past the sleeping pair giving them a sad look before shutting Cristina's door on them.

April's eyes fluttered open the sun light streamed over her. She jumped off the couch her heart pounding as she read the clock she was going to be late for rounds. Then it all hit her the shooting Reed and Percy dead. She squeezed her eyes shut as she stood in the middle of the living room.

"April." Someone touched her arm and she jumped turning around she punched them square in the eye.

"Ow April what the hell." She opened her eyes and her mouth dropped open.

"Jackson I'm so sorry." She dropped to the floor at his side.

"It's fine." Jackson cringed he was going to have a black eye that was for sure but he knew he shouldn't have touched her everyone was jumpy he couldn't blame her.

"I'll get you some ice." She jumped up and threw some ice in a wash cloth. "Here." She thrust it into his hands.

"Thanks." He applied it to his already bruising eye. "Sorry for startling you."

"It's fine." April shook her head. "Sorry for punching you."

"What happened to you?" Callie asked walking into the living room.

"April punched me on accident."

"I have to go." April stood up and pulled the hair tie off of her arm throwing her brown locks into a high ponytail.

"Where are you going?" Jackson asked

"I'm going to go and check on Doctor Shepard."

"Why?" Callie asked pouring a cup of coffee.

"I just I have to." she refused to say more she just rushed out the door.

"She feels like it's her fault that he was shoot it wasn't though It was the crazy man with the gun." They all turned to see Cristina standing in the doorway. She made her way over blurry eyed to pour a cup of coffee. Just then all their pagers went off. Jackson pulled his off the table and looked at it. "Chief wants to meet everyone in the parking lot."

"Well lets go then I'm going like this though." Callie gestured to her pajama's.

"Sounds like a plan." Jackson dumped the ice into the sink as Callie woke Arizona up and Cristina woke up Owen.

"Is the Chief crazy to call a meeting after all of this." Owen grumbled as he watched Cristina closely sure she was going to collapse any moment.

"We have to go." Cristina leaned into him as they walked out of the door and met Mark coming out of his apartment.

"Webber is off his rocker." He yawned. They crossed the street and found themselves in the parking lot of Seattle Grace-Mercy west.

Jackson scanned the parking lot looking for April. April who had taken only one step into the building before starting to shake. That's when her pager had went off and she'd sighed in relief to have an excuse to not go into the building. She stood on the pavement looking up at the building and seeing the horror that was the night before. "April." She turned to see Jackson waving her over and she walked towards her tiny group. Everyone seemed to be huddled into groups. She stood close to Jackson but not to close as they waited for Webber to get to the designated point.

"People." All eyes turned to Webber. "As you know Derek Shepard is in recovery right now so I'll be acting as chief well he recovers. "Anyone who was in the surgical wing during the shooting has three weeks off and has to be cleared by a psychologist before they can come back into surgery do I make myself clear?" Heads were nodding and a few yes's could be heard. "Good." He looked around at them.

"Funeral arrangements are being made for those that died. I'll make sure that information is available to those who wish to attend. You may all go home."

April was shaking she felt like she was going to throw up funerals she had to go to the funerals of Reed and Percy. She whimpered and Jackson wrapped his arms around her. "We'll be ok we'll make it April."

"I don't think we'll make it through this one." She whispered.

"Come one you're coming back with me." Callie rallied them towards her.

"Excuse me." They all turned to see Meredith standing in front of them. "April Jackson can you come here please." She waved them over.

"What is it Meredith?" Jackson asked guiding April with him she felt a bit put out by that but she also knew she might actually collapse if she was let go of.

"I want you to come stay at my house ok we have the room and you can't keep living on Callie's couch." She didn't say anymore just threw a set of keys at them.

"Thanks." April stuttered.

Meredith just watched the girl she cried with and thought of what's she'd had been like if she'd lost Cristina. What she had been like when she'd lost George and she just nodded.

"Do you have your car?" April asked Jackson as they walked towards Callie and the group.

"Yeah Why?"

"To get us to Meredith's."

"Of course." Jackson sighed as he looked down at the keys in his hands maybe this was what him and April needed a fresh start for both of them. He knew they'd have to go to the apartments eventually maybe not permently but they had to get their stuff but for now this would be their safe haven. "Lets go." He sighed. Tightening his grip on her.

A/N thanks to everyone that reviewed and please review.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Grey's anatomy

April used the key that Meredith had thrown at them to let her and Jackson into the house. She looked around it in Aw. "This place is huge." She was used to a small farm house in Moline Nothing like the house Meredith Grey was born into.

"This is nothing compared to Avery houses." Jackson teased. April just rolled her eyes and walked through the house taking in all the details. Walking into the kitchen she found a letter on the counter.

_Jackson and April make yourself at home. Jackson you can take the downstairs bedroom and April you can take Izzy's old room its at the top of the stairs. _

_Meredith. _

"Well it looks like this is me." Jackson swung a door open and looked in at the bed and dresser inside.

"I'm going to search upstairs." April said leaving her best friend in the kitchen. She made her way up the stairs and found the room that Meredith had mentioned opening the door she stood their thinking of the blond doctor who had occupied the room before her. The doctor that had been Alex Karev's wife. She sat down on the bed and looked around. She didn't have anything and she was starting to smell but she couldn't bring herself to go back to the apartment she'd shared with Reed since they'd started there residency. She sighed and pressed her hands into the mattress standing up. She shook her head and made her way down stairs grabbing her purse off the counter where she left it she walked over to Jackson's door knocking on the door jamb. "Hey."

"Hey." Jackson sat up on the bed.

"Do you think we could get to the store I really need to buy some clothes and I just…." She stopped talking and he nodded understanding what she was trying to say.

"Sure." He grabbed his wallet off the dresser. "Lets go." He lead her out of the house and they got into his car.

"I should get a new phone to." she sighed thinking of the phone she lost in the hospital somewhere.

"Ok we can get one." Jackson nodded they drove towards the downtown area of Seattle and pulled into a phone store. Looking around April finally found a phone she wanted and after purchasing it she called her mother.

"Hello." Karen Kepner answered the phone.

"Hey mom it's me."

"April baby it's good to hear from you."

"Yeah I got a new phone so I just wanted you to have the new number."

"Thanks sweetie." Karen took note to get the number off the caller ID. "How are you?"

April hated that question how do you answer that she wasn't well but did she tell her mother that. "I'm as well as can be expected. I'm staying at Meredith Grey's she's a resident in my year Jackson is staying there to."

"I'm glad you have friends around you." Karen said thinking of her daughter so far away in the big city suffering and she shuddered.

"Mom I love you but I have to go we're at the store now."

"Ok baby I'll talk to you later." Karen hung up the phone and looked out at the rolling fields of her home. How she wished she could bring her daughter back here to her. April got out of the car and went into the store with Jackson. She found two pairs of jeans a pair of sweats a few t shirts and long sleeve shirts along with a sweatshirt. She bought a toothbrush and toothpaste shampoo and all the other basics.

"I feel so exhausted." She sighed leaning back in Jackson's car.

"Me to." Jackson put his own bags down and started the car heading back to Meredith's. he carried his bags and her's into the house.

"Thanks." She sighed. Taking her own bags and putting the few things away into the dresser. She laid down and tried to sleep but every time she closed her eyes she saw blood some much blood. She was shaking as her eyes flew open. she was gasping for air and that's when she heard it screaming. Such horrible screaming. She flew off the bed and rushed downstairs running to Jackson's room she threw his door open and frowned when she saw him tossing on his bed screams emanating from him. "Jackson Jackson." She rushed to his side and shook him.

"What, what where am I." his eyes flew to her sweat covering his body.

"Jackson you're at Meredith's you're fine." April ran her hand down his face.

"Right." He breathed in trying to get his heart rate under control. April crawled onto the bed.

"Scoot over." He didn't even question her as he moved over and she wiggled down under the covers. "Get some sleep Jackson." She whispered. She watched him until she was sure he was asleep and she stared at his celling until finally her own eyes fluttered closed almost against her will.

A/N Thanks to everyone that reviewed. If you're reading my story struggling Perfection that's on Hiatus until after Thursday's episode I need to write April's sisters and since they will be on next week I want to get as many facts about them and their personality's before I write them. Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Grey's anatomy

Meredith walked into her house her eyes weighing in on themselves. She needed new clothes and Webber had practically thrown her out. Making her way into the kitchen she saw the bedroom door open and looked in. she saw Jackson and April cuddled together and she felt a twinge of sadness. She wished that could be here and Derek at the moment. But Derek was in a hospital bed and she'd lost the baby. The baby that she'd been so excited for. She sighed turning away. She had to let them sleep they needed sleep. Derek might be upset that she'd brought more strays into the house but she couldn't leave them out in the cold and she couldn't make them go back to their apartments that was just cruel she could still remember April crying on the scrub room floor. April begging the gun man for her life.

Going up to her room Meredith grabbed some clothes and then made her way to Cristina's. knocking on the door she waited for it to be opened. "Mer." Callie said.

"Hey." Meredith felt like she was going to fall over on her feet.

"Come in."

"Thanks." Meredith made her way to Cristina's room and opened the door. Owen was inside with Cristina he looked over at her. "

"Meredith."

"Hey." She swallowed. He got up and guided her towards the bed. "Sit down." He put her on the bed and walked out.

"I'm going back to the hospital." He told Callie who just nodded.

Meredith crawled up near Cristina and curled up next to her. "We're going to make it through this." She whispered.

April woke up and was disoriented wondering where she was. She turned over and saw Jackson at her side. Then she remembered she was in Meredith's house. She felt gross and stood up she needed a shower. As she left the room she looked over at Jackson. At least this time he looked peaceful.

Turning the water on as hot as she could stand she stood under it letting the water pound her sore musels letting the water wash away the pain and the memories." She scrubbed her skin. Blood wasn't there anymore but she could still picture it still picture herself covered in it. She just stood there clean but still feeling dirty. She stood there and let the water wash her away. Getting out she wrapped a towel around herself and made her way to her temporary room. She threw on her PJ's she'd just woken up but she didn't feel like getting dressed. She sat on her bed and she thought. She thought about the first time she'd meet Reed the first time she'd meet Charles. She thought of what it was like to have that gun pointed at her head and she thought of what it was like sitting on that scrub room floor.

She shook her head she couldn't think like that she just couldn't she could already feel herself falling down and it wasn't ok she couldn't keep falling. So she thought of other things she thought of the first time she met Jackson of the first time she'd ridden a horse she thought of her family her sisters and parents. Her acceptance letter to Med school and how proud she was how proud they were but if they could only see her now. She shivered she knew they were worried about her and she knew she should go home and see them let them see her but she couldn't not now she felt so fragile they wouldn't understand they couldn't they hadn't been there inside that hospital people dying all around.

She stood up and made her way down stairs starting coffee just to have something to wrap her hands around. She sat at the kitchen table and just closed her eyes.

"April." She jerked awake and looked up.

"Oh um Lexie.' The blond stood over her.

"I came to change are you ok?" Lexie looked at the coffee spilled over the table top.

"I'm fine." April jumped up and grabbed a towel trying to wipe up the mess. "How is everyone."

"Stable as far as I know." Lexie shivered thinking of Alex on the elevator floor. "Meredith is over at Cristina's Owen called me."

"Ok." April nodded she thought of Meredith but had to block it out she couldn't think of the blood that had been running down her legs or the word miscarriage it was just to sad. "Jackson's asleep." She looked at the clock. "It seems we slept the day away."

"It's ok." Lexie hugged the other girl.

"I.. I should go and check on Jackson." April was worried that he would start screaming again.

"Go." Lexie gave her a weak smile taking the soaking towel from her hand and throwing it into the laundry. April walked towards the door and leaned against it. She watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful. So serene and then his phone started to ring she dived towards it and grabbed it answering it without thinking she just didn't want it to wake him up.

"Hello."

"Who is this?" a females' voice came through the line. April froze. "Hello who is this?" the voice demanded.

"April Kepner." April backed out of the room closing the door behind her not wanting to wake Jackson.

"April Kepner." Catherine Avery tested the name. "You're my son's friend right?"

"Yes." April started to shake she'd answered a call from Catherine Avery the Catherine Avery.

"Where is my son April."

"I'm sorry he's asleep I didn't want to wake him up he…" she trailed off. "I just didn't want to wake him up." She didn't want to tell his mother about his nightmare's."

Catherine could tell there was something the younger woman wasn't telling her but she let it go. "Have him call me when he wakes up please."

"Of course."

"And April stay strong." Before April could respond the line was dead. She started at it and wondered what the older woman meant. She held the phone in her hand as she edged Jackson's door open and watched him sleep. "Stay strong the words reverberated through her head. "Stay strong."

A/N thank you to everyone that reviewed and please review.


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own Grey's anatomy

She stood in front of her mirror black dress down to her thighs. Hair pulled up and clipped to the back of her head. Her pale skin even paler. She wobbled on her heels not used to the height she just stared at herself in the mirror not believing where she was going.

"You ready?" she turned to see Jackson.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She ran her hands down her dress before walking to him and taking his hand. He squeezed it as they walked down the stairs. The harsh Seattle Sunlight blinded her as she left the house.

"The others are going to meet us there."

She heard his words as she slipped into the passenger seat but she could only nod numbly. He watched her as he drove towards the cemetery for the first of the funerals. His eyes staying on her worried for her. He took one hand off the steering wheel and squeezed her hand again.

Silence was all the car held as they drove down roads that were familiar yet forgiven. He pulled into the cemetery the gravel crunching under the tires and pulled up beside the other cars. Stopping the car he turned to her. "Whenever you're ready. "

"That would be never." She laughed bitterly opening the door and slipping out of the car. He watched her before getting out himself. He walked around the car and took her hand as she stood frozen looking at the coffin and the people surrounding it.

"I see Meredith over there." He pointed towards a group that was all Seattle Grace Mercy Westerns.

She let herself be led towards them not really even noticing where she was going. "Hey." Meredith moved over so April could stand by her.

"Hi." April whispered as Jackson nodded. They all faced forward not sure what to say or how to say it. This was only the first funeral they had another and then another and another to go to. but this would be one of the hardest this was Reed's funeral. April saw her mother standing off to the side and cringed. She'd met Mrs. Adamson a few times but now watching the mother have to bury her daughter was one of the worse things she'd ever seen. She listened almost through a fog as the pastor talked about Reed and Reeds life she felt like she wasn't herself like this wasn't her life and she was just someone watching it. She felt that way until she felt someone nudge her. She looked up at Jackson "What?"

"Did you want to say something?" he nodded to the space the pastor had just vacated or maybe he hadn't just vacated April wasn't sure of how long she'd been spaced out.

"Right yeah." She walked towards the front wobbling on her too high heels and not looking directly at the coffin. She stood in front of everyone and she wrung her hands together. She cleared her throat it felt so dry and sore. "Reed was my best friend." She felt a tear fall down her face. "Now we weren't always friends I believe she called me overtly perky at one point." April chuckled. "But over time we became best friends almost as close as sisters which of course meant all the fight that come with it of course." She shook her head wiping more tears away thinking off all the little spats her and Reed had had over the years. "I honestly don't know what I'll do without her. I feel so lost right now but I have to believe she's in a place that is good I have to believe she's watching down on me because she was a good person and she deserves that." The tears where coming so fast she couldn't stop them. She walked over to the coffin and laid her finger tips against it. "Goodbye Reed." She whispered as her salty tears feel on the wood. Her eyes swept up and caught Jackson's who had tears forming in his own eyes. She walked unsteadily towards him as the next person took her place and she fell into his arms. He wrapped her up tightly in his embrace as she soaked his shirt. "it's not fair it's just not fair." She sobbed.

"I know I know." He whispered kissing her fiery red hair. "I know it's not fair it's so not fair. She couldn't tell you what happened for the rest of the funeral as she spent it hiding in Jackson's arms. She had to be held up as Jackson took her to the car and collapsed into the seat as he started it.

"And to think Tomorrow we get to do it all over again at Charles funeral." She looked at the blackening sky and bit her lip.

Jackson didn't have the words to express his hurt so he just held her hand. The next morning they were at it again only this time it was April in the same Dress as the night before standing in Jackson's doorway. "Are you ready?" He looked at himself the tux was the same as the day before but the feelings were different this one was his best friend sure he'd been friends with Reed but Charles was different. He almost didn't hear April and he didn't acknowledge her presence until she was next to him she laid her cheek against his shoulder and hugged him. "We'll make it through like we did yesterday. Only today you're going to let me be your shoulder to lean on."

"Lets go." He squeezed her hand as they walked out the door. The routine was the same only this time it was April who was driving watching Jackson with concerned eyes as they pulled into the cemetery. Her that grabbed his hand and led him to the grave site and her that nudged his side when the time came.

"Are you going to say anything?"

"Yeah." He swallowed walking forward. He looked over the sea of faces many the same that had been there the day before. "Charles Percy could be a pain the ass he was a pain in mine more times then I could count but he was a good friend once you earned his trust. But trust was hard to come by with Charles I'm happy to say that I had his and that I will miss him dearly. To Charles the fact that I was an Avery didn't matter he just cared about who I was as a person. For that I'll always be grateful to him and miss him." Jackson didn't even bother swiping the tears away. He walked past the coffin not able to look at it and took April's hand. She handed him a Kleenex and he took it but shoved it into his pocket. She watched him and helped him being a shoulder to lean on.

They didn't say anything as they got back into the car they didn't say anything on the ride home it wasn't until April pulled into the driveway that she spoke. "I think I'm going home to Moline I need a break."

Jackson just nodded numbly. "Would you like to come with me?"

A/N and cliff hanger will Jackson go to Moline with April you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks to everyone that reviewed.


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